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Employment

Who We Are

Meadow Creek Dairy is a seasonal grazing dairy producing award-winning raw milk artisanal cheeses in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. For over a quarter-century, we have worked to create rich mountain pastures, the sturdy, healthy cattle that would thrive on them, and finally the cheeses that would compliment both.

We are committed to a sustainable system that matches the natural cycle of the pastures to the natural cycle of the cows. However, making cheese from seasonal milk does have unique challenges that have shaped the characteristics of our cheeses. Over the years we have honed our craft to create a truly unique catalogue of cheeses which change with the seasons.

None of this would have been possible without a great deal of hard work and dedication. Over the years, we’ve grown to be less a team than a community, with over half of us living on the farm itself.

Who We’re Looking For

April 2016 will mark our 28th year of farming and our 18th season of cheesemaking. We have just finished building two new aging cellars tailored to our cheeses and are looking for motivated people to help us grow. We need enthusiastic workers with an interest in challenging their knowledge and learning new skills, a willingness to handle physically rigorous and hands-on tasks, and a dedication to both personal achievement and the team’s success.

Team Positions

All positions start in spring and go through December, when contracts will be reviewed. Benefits for permanent employees include paid vacation time and full health insurance.

Currently, our open positions are:

Cheesemake Assistant

An excellent opportunity to develop and expand cheesemaking skills and garner experience with raw, seasonal, grass-based milk. As cheesemake assistant you will assist the cheesemakers in all aspects of cheesemake, from production to quality management, as well as managing the cleanliness of the cheeseroom and cheesemaking equipment and recordkeeping.

Our ideal candidate is passionate, disciplined, and has a strong interest in learning. They take pride in their work and are willing to go above and beyond to achieve excellence. They work well under the pressure of a production environment and have good time management skills; they are resilient and able to adapt to changing circumstances.An ability to work in a team environment is essential; prior experience with food safety standards is a plus.

Skills you’ll take away from this job:

The fundamentals of making cheese with seasonal raw milk

Experience with food science, the principles of sanitation, and HAACP

An understanding of the importance of detail in a production setting

Ability to see the whole picture and pick up whatever job most needs doing

Begins: Spring 2017

Cellar Assistant

A chance to learn the art of affinage in our custom-designed aging cellars. As cellar assistant you will learn the aging requirements for three very different cheeses — a washed rind, a bloomy rind, and an alpine-style — and work with each, providing the individual care and attention necessary to bring them through all stages of aging successfully. You will be responsible for daily cheese care and maintaining the cellars in a state consistent with our food safety plan.

Our ideal candidate has exceptional attention to detail and a passion for learning. They take pride in their work and are willing to cultivate patience and settle in for a the long haul it takes to see a job well done. They are physically fit, able to lift at least fifty pounds and spend a lot of time on their feet; they are good team workers, focused on working and communicating well with others. Prior experience with food safety standards is a plus.

Skills you’ll take away from this job:

An in-depth knowledge of aging cheeses and the art of affinage

An ability to not only spot problems but devise solutions and monitor their effectiveness

Internships

Through the years Meadow Creek Dairy has hosted many people from a variety of countries and backgrounds, all with a common desire: to work hard, learn all they can, and take that knowledge away with them. If that description fits you, read on!

All internships are paid positions. Interns are provided with shared on-farm housing and utilities, including satellite television and internet, and are expected to work 45-50 hours per week. Interns must be physically fit (able to lift at least 50 pounds) and both willing and able to work on their feet all day as part of a team. A valid driver’s license is required. Some experience is preferred, but not essential: a willingness to learn is a must.

All of our internships start in April and last through December. Interns may be placed in the cheesehouse or on the dairy depending on staffing needs. For 2016, we are accepting internships only in the cheesehouse.

What you’ll take away from an internship in our cheesehouse:

The fundamentals of making cheese with seasonal raw milk

Basic knowledge of food science, sanitation practices, and HAACP

Experience working under pressure in a production environment

Good time management

Attention to detail

For international applicants, though you may contact us directly, we will ask you to go through Ohio State’s internship program, which has many resources for making sure the process of obtaining a visa and staying in the US is the best it can be.